Legislative briefs for March 29, 2005

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 | 9:44 a.m.

Grant may require volunteer work

High school students should have to perform at least 20 hours of volunteer work to qualify for Millennium Scholarships, two Assembly members said Monday.

Assemblywoman Heidi Gansert, R-Reno, and Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, told the Assembly Committee on Education that the volunteer work would build character.

Gansert's Assembly Bill 85 would require the 20 hours to be completed during the junior and senior years of high school to qualify for the Millennium Scholarship to attend a university or community college in Nevada. The requirement would not kick in until 2008, she said.

The committee did not take action on the bill. It will be considered later at a work session.

Money sought for railroad line

Assembly Bill 481, introduced Monday, would appropriate $5 million to reconstruct the railroad line of the V & T Railway of Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Storey and Washoe counties.

The money, which is not included in the governor's budget, would come only if a commission could raise $15 million in private funds.

The bill was introduced by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, which will consider it in the coming weeks.

Gasoline tax could face hike

The Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on Monday introduced Assembly Bill 494, which would increase the state gasoline tax by 2 cents every year.

Adding another two cents to the gasoline tax would take it up to 17.65 cents per gallon in 2006. The bill stipulates that the increase would continue through 2010, when tax would be set at 27.65 cents per gallon.

The tax would not be applied to aviation fuel. The bill does not designate where the new funds would go.

Bill aims to keep kids from drugs

A new bill would punish adults for intentionally allowing a child to be present within 1,000 feet of an area where controlled substances other than marijuana are being sold or manufactured.

Assembly Bill 465 would make it a category B felony with a prison term of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if a person exposes children to drugs and they are not harmed. If the child is harmed, the person could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and face $20,000 in fines.

The bill was introduced by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, which will eventually consider the bill.

Bill affects young sex offenders

Assembly Bill 472 would make it easier to require juveniles to register as sex offenders.

The bill gives district attorneys the burden of proof to convince a juvenile court that a child convicted of a sex crime has not been rehabilitated and could pose a threat to society. The court can look at the child's history, who he or she victimized, and whether he or she completed counseling or treatment programs.

The bill was introduced by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, which will eventually consider the bill.

Term 'firemen' may be superseded

State law would no longer use the word "firemen" under Assembly Bill 507.

The bill, introduced by the Assembly Transportation Committee, would amend the state statute to say "firefighter." State law already refers to members of police departments as "peace officers" instead of "policemen."

The bill will be scheduled to go before the Transportation Committee.